The typical, prior art adjustable wrench was developed many years ago and it includes a wrench head and handle. The wrench head has a fixed jaw and an adjustable movable jaw. The handle is usually straight and fixed; however, there are curved, bent and/or pivoting handle versions as well. In order to achieve optimum engagement between this type of wrench and a work-piece such as a nut or bolt, etc., the wrench head must be held flat against the work surface, and square to the bottom of the work-piece. In most instances the wrench head is tapered towards the front so that the wrench handle is slightly tilted up when the wrench head is held flat against a work surface to provide relief or clearance for a user's fingers grasped around the wrench handle. The problem is, the tapered wrench head of the typical prior art adjustable wrench does not tilt the wrench handle up enough to provide sufficient relief or clearance for a user's fingers. And, when a user tilts the wrench handle up higher to provide sufficient finger clearance, the wrench head is no longer positioned flat against the work surface and square to the bottom of the nut, bolt etc. This compromises optimum engagement between wrench and work-piece which often leads to engagement failures between wrench and work-piece and possible user injury. In addition, if a user were to “choke up” on the wrench (grasp the wrench handle close to the wrench head) to operate the thumbwheel to adjust the wrench head while on a work-piece, the wrench has to be tilted up even higher whereby the wrench head is not positioned flat against the work surface and square to the bottom of the nut, bolt etc. thereby compromising optimum engagement between wrench and work-piece. Further yet, because a user's fingers/knuckles are fully exposed, they are always vulnerable to injury resulting from a protrusion sticking out of the work surface in the swing-arc path.
The present invention solves the aforementioned problems and prior art deficiencies by providing relief and clearance for a user's fingers and knuckles while the wench head is positioned flat against a work surface and square to the bottom of a work-piece. And, even if a user “chokes up” on the wrench handle to operate the thumbwheel for adjustment of the wrench head while on a work-piece, the present invention still provides relief and clearance for a user's fingers and knuckles. Preferred embodiments of the present invention may include a finger guard structure formed to protect a user's fingers and knuckles during wrench operation.